Healthy Start scheme vouchers breakdown of pregnant females: FOI release

Information requested

"Please could you provide me with the number of pregnant women/mothers, in each month, who were:

1. Eligible for the Healthy Start scheme vouchers
2. Receiving the Healthy Start scheme vouchers"

Response

I would firstly draw to your attention that Healthy Start Vouchers in Scotland changed to the Best Start Food Payment card from 12 August 2019. From this date there have still been Healthy Start Vouchers issued to citizens in Scotland however there has also been an application process for citizens to apply for the Best Start Foods Payment card.

I have provided the data Scottish Government hold on Healthy Start Vouchers as requested. The numbers refer to individuals who would either be eligible or receiving Healthy Start Vouchers.

I have taken the data back to just before Scottish Government introduced the Best Start Foods Payment card giving you more than the six months you requested. As this period covers the introduction of Best Start Foods Payments you will see over the course of those months the numbers receiving HSV’s reducing as the families will have moved over on to the payment card. You should note that for Best Start Foods payments the Data is published by Social Security Scotland on a quarterly basis and can be found at the following link.

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/news/the-latest-statistics-on-best-start-grant-and-best-start-foods

Period	Eligible	Receiving
3/2/2020 to 1/3/2020	17,168	8,469
6/1/2020 to 2/2/2020	19,409	10,186
9/12/19 to 5/1/2020	20,026	11,547
11/11/19 to 8/12/19	23,026	13,393
14/10/19 to 10/10/19	26,135	15,845
16/9/19 to 13/10/19	28,202	17,305
19/8/19 to 15/9/19	30,588	18,773
22/7/19 to 18/8/19	33,807	20,552

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.